Hi Dave,
I’m with you on your post as well.

Too much $ for a wrench to turn something that really shouldn’t be all that tight to begin with.
I have known of machinist and mechanics alike, that think they need every special tool or gauge made to do a certain job.
That whats having inexperienced engineers paint themselves into a corner to cause some nothingness tooling to be so expensive.
I’m looking into breaking down a M47 and so far I’m finding work around and got the fifth gear assembly apart.
But then, I’m not using a shop hour time clock. 🤫

There is never going to be any torque applied to the rod as it’s in a compression situation besides.
I wouldn’t grind away the radius ball end to get even with anything or anybody!

Yes, this is an interference fit thread caused by the straight knurling process to bring the walls of the shaft or the tubing into play.
The example shown in the photos are just the opposite of rolling in some external threads into smaller shafting.
The metal is displaced upwards to the size of the standard thread and therefore saving weight and expense of a larger bolt behind the threads.
This way there isn’t an actual cut thread in the rod, or at least, a full depth of 75% anyway.
That is what machine taps leave in a hole.
No such thing as the a theoretical 100% thread being possible.
There can be Enough torque is at 75% to break taps, especially, if they get slightly dull.
If you open up the bore of a hole a few thousandths the percentage of thread drop dramatically but easier to tap.
My Rule of the thumbs is @ 75% thread, the head or the body of the threaded member will break first, before the threads pull out of most materials.
Holes threaded to a depth of 1 and one-half times the diameter of the thread is only needed.
Any longer than that, the laughing starts with us machinists, as this being an adjustment screw HOLE! 👀🤔😀😊🙃🫢😎 screws yes, but not the holes?

Rolling threads is very common practice and they can actually be stronger than cut threads. The body of the thread peaks are denser. It might be considered a cold forging process.

There’s no need to get over zealous with that thread in the rod. It never gets any torque from anything during its operations.
Just grip the rod to prevent slippage with a small curved vise grip pliers and turn the acorn end.
.163 is less than than the amount of thread showing.
If you had more than that it would really worry me that some is a miss and what compatibility issue there might be with M.C.
I’m surprised you have to move it that far to get the rod away from the master cylinder piston.

If it’s way too long the cylinder cannot get back far enough to get the brake fluid on a return stroke.
It won’t pump up correctly as in this case must be happening but not noticed as of yet.😬
If it’s too short the foot pedal goes down too far to get a full pedal.
A little distance change on the short end of the foot pedal make a big difference on the long end your foot uses.
The .020-.030 space specification is probably the best of both worlds but no more than that is needed.

Oh, He will get the adjustment made or else!

How have you come out or your brake pads and rotors dealings?
The Brickboard was down to me for several days this last week.

Phil